Inhliziyo Yami Ichichima Ukubonga

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUJOHN WYNN

Yeka ukuthi ngangivame ukukucasukela kanjani ukuya emihlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova! Ngangizishaya ophethwe isisu noma ikhanda—ngenze noma yini ukuze ngigweme ukuya. Kodwa ukuqina kukamama kwakuvame ukwenza ukugula okunjalo kunyamalale ngokushesha, futhi ngangizithola sengihamba naye amakhilomitha amathathu siya eHholo LoMbuso, ngilalele njengoba exoxa ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu nomuntu omdala ahambisana naye.

LOKHU kwangifundisa isifundo esiwusizo: Abazali akufanele neze bayeke ukuqina, ngendlela enothando, kulokho okulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. (IzAga 29:15, 17) Akufanele neze bakhohlwe umyalo waphezulu ‘wokungakuyeki ukubuthana kwethu ndawonye.’ (Heberu 10:25) Njengoba ngibheka emuva ekuphileni kwami, yeka indlela engijabula ngayo ngokuthi umama wabangela ukuba ngenze okungcono kakhulu kimi!

Ukwazisa Isibonelo Esihle

Nakuba ubaba ayengakholwa, wazibekezelela izinkolelo zikamama lapho eba umFundi WeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Ngo-1913 umama wahamba wayolalela inkulumo ethi “Ngalé Kwethuna,” eyayinikezwa uCharles T. Russell, umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Society. Nokho, wafika sekwephuzile, zonke izihlalo sezinabantu. Ngakho wacelwa ukuba ahlale nabanye ababefike sekwephuzile ngasendaweni yesikhulumi, eduze kakhulu noMalus’ uRussell. Leyo nkulumo yamthinta kakhulu. Yanyatheliswa ephephandabeni lendawo ngosuku olulandelayo, futhi wagcina ikhophi yayo, eyifunda ngokuphindaphindiwe.

Ngemva komhlangano umama wabanika ipheshana elalinegama lakhe, futhi omunye umFundi WeBhayibheli wathintana naye ngokushesha. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, waqala ukuhambisa amapheshana eBhayibheli endlini ngendlu edolobheni lakithi eGloucester, eNgilandi. Kusukela sisebancane impela, mina nodadewethu ababili sahlanganyela nomama emsebenzini wokushumayela.

Lapho uHarry Francis, umFundi WeBhayibheli oshisekayo, ethuthela eGloucester, umama wamamukela ngokufudumele. Ngokushesha, waba nesithakazelo esikhethekile kimi, futhi isikhuthazo sakhe saba isici esiyinhloko sokuba kwami iphayona kamuva, njengoba izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zibizwa kanjalo. Isibonelo sikaMfoweth’uFrancis sangifundisa isifundo esibalulekile: Abantu abadala kufanele bahlale befuna izindlela zokukhuthaza abasebasha.

Lapho umama eba umFundi WeBhayibheli, nabanye eGloucester benza okufanayo. Nokho, abadala abathile ebandleni baqala ukuzicabangela ngokweqile, futhi amalungu ekilasi—njengoba ibandla lalibizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi—aqala ukulandela abantu abathile. Komunye umhlangano, abathile babelokhu beqhweba umama ngemuva, bemnxusa ukuba aphakamise isandla asekele abadala abathile. Kodwa umama wayazi ukuthi babengabeki isibonelo esihle, futhi wenqaba ukuphoqelelwa. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngasekupheleni kwawo-1920, abaningi bawa futhi ababange besahamba endleleni yeqiniso. (2 Petru 2:2) Nokho, umama akazange achezuke ekuyisekeleni ngokwethembeka inhlangano, ngaleyo ndlela engibekela isibonelo esihle.

Ukumelela Kwami Iqiniso

Ekugcineni, ngo-June 1939, lapho ngineminyaka engu-18, ngabhapathizwa eMfuleni iSevern. Futhi ngalowo nyaka ngamiswa njengenceku yomshini wokukhulisa izwi. Ngalezo zinsuku sasisebenzisa umshini wamarekhodi owawuqhuma phezulu ezindaweni zomphakathi ngesigijimi esithi “Inkolo Iwugibe Nebhizinisi.” Ngaleso sikhathi kwakugxilwe ekudaluleni ubuzenzisi nezimfundiso zamanga zeLobukholwa.

Ngesinye isikhathi ngangiphambili odwendweni ngiphethe ibhanela, ngakolunye uhlangothi libhalwe ukuthi “Inkolo Iwugibe Nebhizinisi” futhi ngakolunye lithi “Khonza UNkulunkulu NoKristu INkosi.” Ngemuva kwakulandela ihhashi elalinezingqwembe ezinkulu ezinhlangothini zombili zangemuva kwalo ezazimemezela inkulumo yeningi. Yeka umbukwane lolo dwendwe okumelwe ukuba lwaba yiwo edolobheni laseGloucester elinabantu abathanda inkolo!

Naphezu kobunzima obungokwezimali ekhaya, umama wangikhuthaza ukuba ngibe iphayona. Ngakho, ngo-September 1939, ekuqaleni kweMpi Yezwe II, ngafika esabelweni sami sokuqala engangiyophayona kuso eLeamington, edolobhaneni laseWarwickshire. Kulelo dolobha, kwakuhlala abefundisi abaningana abase bethathe umhlalaphansi.

Sasisebenzisa igilamafomu elula enkonzweni yethu yendlu ngendlu, sidlala izinkulumo zikaJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ngaleso sikhathi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umshini wethu wamarekhodi (owawungasetshenziselwa izilaleli eziningi) wawusinda kakhulu, futhi sasiwuthwala nge-pram, noma inqola yokuthwala abamntwana. Bethukutheliswe isigijimi esidalula inkolo yamanga, ngezinye izikhathi abefundisi babesixosha emizini yabo. Kodwa asizange sidangale. UJehova wawubusisa umsebenzi wethu, futhi namuhla kunebandla loFakazi abangaphezu kwekhulu eLeamington.

Ngo-1941, lapho iMpi Yezwe II idlanga, ngathuthela eWales, lapho ngaphayona khona edolobheni laseHaverfordwest, eCarmarthen naseWrexham. Njengesikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele, ngakhululwa enkonzweni yezempi, kodwa abantu babengakuqondi ukuma kwethu kokungathathi hlangothi. Ngakho, mina nengangiphayona naye sasolwa ngokuba izinhloli noma izimpimpi. Ngobunye ubusuku, amaphoyisa ahaqa umahamba-nendlwana wethu. Engangiphayona naye, owayesanda kubuya nje emsebenzini wakhe wokubutha amalahle, wakhipha ikhanda ukuze abone ukuthi obani ababelapho. Ubuso bakhe babugcwele insizi yamalahle, futhi emaphoyiseni wabonakala sengathi wayeselungele ukuhlasela kwempi. Kwadingeka sichaze!

Sabusiswa ngokucebile ezabelweni zethu. Ngesinye isikhathi, lapho siseCarmarthen, savakashelwa uJohn Barr owayevela ehhovisi legatsha laseLondon (manje oyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo) ezosikhuthaza. Ngaleso sikhathi kwakunabamemezeli ababili kuphela eCarmarthen; manje, kunabangaphezu kwekhulu. IWrexham manje inamabandla amathathu, futhi muva nje ngibe nelungelo lokunikezela iHholo LoMbuso elihle eHaverfordwest.—1 Korinte 3:6.

Ukwazisa Ngenkonzo Yami

Lapho siseSwansea, eSouth Wales, engangiphayona naye, uDon Rendell, akazange akhululwe enkonzweni yempi. Wagqunywa ejele naphezu kokuchaza ukuthi wayengenakulwa namaKristu akanye nawo akwamanye amazwe ngenxa kanembeza. (Isaya 2:2-4; Johane 13:34, 35) Ukuze ngimkhuthaze, futhi nginikeze ubufakazi komakhelwane, ngabeka umshini wamarekhodi eduze nejele futhi ngadlala izinkulumo zeBhayibheli.

Nokho, abesifazane bendawo abazange bakuthande lokhu futhi baqoqa imali yokukhokhela amasosha ukuba ashaye mina nenganginaye. Sathathela ngejubane, sisubatha ngangokusemandleni ethu—ngiqhuba ne-pram enomshini wamarekhodi—siyocasha eHholo LoMbuso. Kodwa lapho sifika khona, kwakukhiyiwe! Kwaba nje ukungenela ngesikhathi kwamaphoyisa okwasisindisa ekushayweni kanzima.

Kusobala ukuthi leso senzakalo saziwa kabanzi. Lapho ngishumayela endaweni eseduze neSwansea esikhathini esithile kamuva, indoda ethile yangitshela ngendlela yokuncoma: “Niyabumelela ubuKristu, kufana nensizwa ethile eSwansea eyakumemezela ngesibindi lokho eyayikukholelwa kwaze kwadingeka ibaleke iyocasha.” Yeka indlela eyamangala ngayo lapho izwa ukuthi ngangiyileyo nsizwa!

Ukuphayona kwakungelula ngaleyo minyaka yempi. Sasingenayo impahla eningi yezwe, kodwa esasinakho, sasikwazisa futhi sikujabulela. Sasikuthola njalo ukudla okungokomoya, futhi sasingakaze siphuthelwe umhlangano, ngaphandle kwalapho sigula. Ngathenga ibhayisikili elidala, futhi salifakela obhasikidi abakhulu ukuze sithwale igilamafomu kanye nezincwadi zeBhayibheli. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangihamba amakhilomitha angu-80 ngosuku ngebhayisikili! Ngaphayona iminyaka engu-7 futhi ngizikhumbula ngokwazisa lezo zinsuku.

Ngo-1946, ngemva kokuphela kweMpi Yezwe II, ngamenyelwa ukuyosebenza eBethel, njengoba izakhiwo eziyinhloko zoFakazi BakaJehova zibizwa kanjalo emazweni ahlukahlukene. Ngaleso sikhathi iBethel yethu yayiku-34 Craven Terrace, yakhelene neLondon Tabernacle. Lapho, ngajabulela ubudlelwane nasebekhulile, njengo-Alice Hart, uyise, uTom Hart, okukholelwa ukuthi waba uFakazi wokuqala eNgilandi.

Ukuthola Umngane Othembekile

Ngo-1956, ngayishiya iBethel ngayoshada no-Etty, iphayona engajwayelana nalo lapho lalifikile livela eNetherlands lizovakashela udadewabo owayehlala eLondon ngaleso sikhathi. Ngasekupheleni kwempi, u-Etty wayefundisa ukubhala ngomshini nangendlela efushanisiwe ekolishi lebhizinisi eTilburg, eningizimu yeNetherlands. Ngolunye usuku omunye uthisha wanquma ukumphelezela ngebhayisikili amyise ekhaya ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi ufika ephephile. WayengumRoma Katolika. Lapho befika, waxoxa nabazali baka-Etty abangamaProthestani. Kwakheka ubuhlobo, futhi lothisha wayengasapheli kubo.

Ngemva nje kokuphela kwempi, lothisha wafika kubo ka-Etty, ememeza, “Ngithole iqiniso!”

“Bengithi uthe unalo iqiniso uma ungumRoma Katolika!” kusabela uyise ka-Etty.

“Cha!” ephendula ngenjabulo. “OFakazi BakaJehova abaneqiniso!”

Lobo busuku nobuningi obalandela basetshenziselwa izingxoxo ezijulile zeBhayibheli. Ngemva nje kwalokho u-Etty waba iphayona. Enkonzweni yakhe naye wabhekana nokuphikiswa okunzima, eNetherlands, okwakuvela eSontweni LamaRoma Katolika. Izingane, ezazishoshozelwa abapristi zaziphazamisa izingxoxo zakhe lapho ehamba indlu ngendlu, futhi kwesinye isenzakalo zaphula ibhayisikili lakhe. Waliyisa endodeni eyayiwakhanda eyayamukele incwajana kuye ngaphambili. “Awubheke ukuthi izingane zenzeni!” esho ekhala.

“Nokho, ungayeki,” kusho lendoda ngomusa. “Wenza umsebenzi omuhle. Ngizokulungisela ibhayisikili lakho ngesihle.” Futhi yenza kanjalo.

U-Etty wathola ukuthi abapristi babengenandaba nemihlambi yabo kwaze kwaba yilapho eqala ukufunda nayo iBhayibheli. Abapristi nezindelakazi babefika kamuva bezolulaza ukholo lwabantu kokubili eBhayibhelini nakuJehova. Naphezu kwalokho, wayejabulela izifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi ezithuthukayo.

Ukwazisa Ukuphila Kwethu Ndawonye

Ngemva komshado wethu, mina no-Etty sabelwa umsebenzi wokujikeleza eNgilandi, futhi eminyakeni ecishe ibe mihlanu, sasihambela amabandla ukuze siwaqinise ngokomoya. Ngabe sengithola isimemo sokuba sekilasini lama-36 laseGileyadi, elalizoqhutshelwa endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Isifundo esathatha izinyanga eziyishumi, esaphela ngo-November 1961, sasiklanyelwe ngokukhethekile ukuqeqesha amadoda ukuba anakekele umsebenzi emahhovisi amagatsha oFakazi BakaJehova. Lapho ngisahambile, u-Etty wasala eNgilandi eBethel yaseLondon. Lapho ngithweswa iziqu, sabelwa lapho sobabili.

Eminyakeni engu-16 eyalandela, ngasebenza emnyangweni wenkonzo, nginakekela izindaba eziphathelene nemisebenzi yebandla. Khona-ke, ngo-1978, lapho kushona umbonisi weKhaya LaseBethel, uPryce Hughes, ngamiswa esikhundleni sakhe. Ukuba nomthwalo wemfanelo wokunakekela inhlalakahle yamalungu omkhaya wethu waseBethel okhulayo—manje sinabangaphezu kuka-260 emkhayeni wethu—kuye kwaba isabelo esinomvuzo kuleminyaka eminingi.

Ngo-1971 umama othandekayo washona eseneminyaka engu-85. Mina no-Etty sabuyela eGloucester ukuze sibe semngcwabeni, lapho umzalwane othile achaza kahle khona ithemba lasezulwini umama ayenalo. (Filipi 3:14) Ngiyayazisa indlela odadewethu, uDoris noGrace, abamnakekela ngayo ngothando umama njengoba ayesekhulile, ngaleyo ndlela benza mina no-Etty sakwazi ukuqhubeka sisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.

Mina no-Etty sivame ukucabanga ngabazali bethu nangendlela abasikhulisa ngayo ngendlela yothando neqinile. Yeka ukuthi sibakweleta okukhulu kangakanani! Umama ngokukhethekile wabekela mina nawodadewethu isibonelo esihle, akha kithi ukwazisa ngoJehova nangenhlangano yakhe.

Yebo, izinhliziyo zethu zichichima ukubonga lapho sicabangela usuku ngalunye lwenkonzo eya kuBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova. Yeka ukuthi unguNkulunkulu omuhle nonothando kanjani! Umhubi weBhayibheli wazwakalisa imizwa yethu lapho ebhala: “Ngiyakukuphakamisa wena-Nkulunkulu wami, Nkosi, ngilituse igama lakho phakade naphakade. Imihla yonke ngiyakukubonga, ngilidumise igama lakho phakade naphakade.”—IHubo 145:1, 2.

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Nginomkami, u-Etty